You’re Screwing Up My Entertainment Experience

27Jan13

I love going to the movies. Motion pictures on the big screen. That’s how movies are intended to be seen. It’s so immersive. The sound is awesome and your entire attention is captured by the movie. It transports you to another place and time.

At least, that’s the theory.

Sadly, it doesn’t often work out that way. Usually, someone finds a way to break the spell.

People, would it kill you to show up on time? If the movie starts at 6:55, don’t come wandering in, whispering and looking for a seat at 7:10. You’ve already missed the coming attractions and now you’re screwing up the experience for everyone else.

You know those little animated clips they run before the movie. The ones that tell you turn off your cell phone…..Don’t text during the feature presentation, etc? They actually mean turn off your ringer and leave your friggin’ phone in your pocket. It’s amazing how much light a smart phone throws from the front row of a theatre. Hey, you in the front row, you’re screwing it up for the 200 people sitting behind you who can’t help but see your bright-as-a-headlight phone.

I must be missing some part of the movie-going experience. Is there a prize awarded to the first person back to their car after the movie? I mean it’s like the freakin’ Indy 500 as soon as the first credit hits the screen. Seriously, there are some people, like me, who enjoy the credits – Who played what part? Where was this filmed? Are there any goodies hidden at the end of the credits? But, it’s like a cattle stampede – get out of the way or get trampled.

And while I’m ranting – this is for you AMC and National Amusements: I’ve stopped buying food and beverages at the movies. I’m a capitalist. I understand businesses have to turn a profit and I support that. And, I know they have a captive audience so I’m going to pay a little more for a soda, popcorn or candy. I get that. But the prices have gotten completely out of hand. I refuse to pay $11.50 for a small Coke and small popcorn. That’s more than it costs to see the picture! You can buy that exact same $4 box of Junior Mints at Market Basket for 50¢ – and Market Basket is still making a profit at that price. I sneak it in now. Let your business analysts factor that in.

I watch a lot of movies on my HDTV, but it’s a different experience. Part of the joy of going to the movies is going to the movies. To be out of the house and with people. You can feel the highs and lows of the crowd as the movie plays out. It’s a shared experience. When it works, when someone has not screwed up the experience, it’s magical.